Tape feeding machine



Jan. 26, 1943. T. H. KRUEGER ET AL TAPE FEEDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21,.1338 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVENTO wn wmm CHARLES BEA/VD paw v67.

A TTORNEYS.

Illlll ll ALF/QED F? KEl/EGEE Patented Jan. 26, 1943 TAPE FEEDINGMACHINE Theodore H. Krucger and Alfred P. Krueger, Stratford, Conn, andCharles H. Brand, Newton Center, Mass, assignors to Better Packages,Incorporated, a corporation of Connecticut Application December 21,1938, Serial N0. 247,020

Claims.

This invention relates to gummed tape feeding machines, and relates moreparticularly to machines which are adapted to feed from wide rolls oftape a plurality of narrow tape strips which are simultaneouslymoistened and delivered.

Various types of machines have heretofore been proposed which delivertape in gummed condition ready for use, but these machines are subjectto the limitation that if narrow tape is desired a roll of narrow tapemust be used originally in the machine.

Other types of machines have heretofore been proposed which deliver fromthe machine a plurality of narrow strips of tape by the expedient ofusing several rolls of narrow tape and feeding from these several rollsby one feeding motion. This type of machine is subject to thedisadvantage that rolls of narrow gummed tape are relatively far moreexpensive than the same quantity of tape in a single wide roll. Inaddition, in such machines it is always possible that one of the narrowrolls will become exhausted before the others in the machine, and thusresult in the annoying necessity of reloading each additional roll ondifierent occasions, and in the consequent loss of operating time.Furthermore, where a plurality of narrow rolls are used in a singlemachine, it is necessary to have separating and spacing devices betweeneach roll, and even with such spacing devices there is always danger ofthe individual strips of tape coming into interference with each otherbefore delivery from the machine.

The advantages of our invention in fields where gummed tape deliverymachines are applicable are numerous. Such machines, when used byorganizations where a large quantity of gummed tape is employed forsealing packages, provide a saving of expense, both in materials andlabor over known designs.

The saving in cost of material results from the fact that rolls of widetape are less expensive than the plurality of rolls of narrow tapeheretofore necessary to obtain the same number of narrow strips.

The saving in labor is clearly seen when it is considered that on amachine which delivers one narrow strip one stroke of the feeding devicefeeds one strip of tape. On the machine of this invention, one stroke ofthe feeding device feeds two or more strips of tape, thus resulting in asaving in the number of times which the machine must be operated, and asaving also of time, since one operation of the feeding devicesimultaneously delivers several narrow strips. This is particularlyapparent where the operation of the machine is carried on by oneindividual who hands the strips delivered to other workers forapplication to packages,

Where the operator of the machine is himself applying the tape to thepackage, an additional advantage appears in that, while the first stripdelivered is being applied to the package, the

other strips have an opportunity to become slightly tacky and thus willadhere more quickly to the package.

It is, of course, also clear that where uniform length of strips of tapeis desired, this improve ment on tape-serving machines is particularlyadvantageous, since the plurality of strips delivered from the machineare precisely the same length.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improvement ontape-feeding machines which will make it possible to feed a plurality ofnarrow strips from one wide roll of tape.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a tape-deliveringmachine with the necessary modifications to slit a single roll of tapeinto pieces of tape of equal or unequal width, as may be desired.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improvement intape-serving devices which makes possible the slitting of broad tapeinto narrow strips of tape of precisely the desired width by means ofcentering devices applied to the tape at various points during itscourse through the machine prior to the actual slitting, thus insuringthat irregularities in dimensions of tape delivered from the machine areentirely obviated.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a machine whichwill deliver precisely the same length of slit strips of tape byprovision of a device whereby the feeding rolls which actually engagethe tape and cause it to travel through the machine are separated at theend of each feeding stroke, thus permitting the tape to realign itselfin the event that minute irregularities in the feeding rolls have causedone of the slit strips to lag behind another.

Still another object-0f this invention is to provide means at theejection end of the machine which delivers a plurality of narrow stripsof tape whereby the tape issues from the machine in differentdirections, so that any possibility of a strip of moistened gum tapeadhering to another strip is obviated, even under conditions where acurrent of air is blowing against the machine.

Further objects and advantages will appear throughout the descriptionand drawings of a machine selected for purposes of illustration only,with the improvements of this invention applied thereto, wherein Fig. lis a top plan view, partly broken away, of a tape serving machine withthe improvements of this invention applied;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing thetape centering device;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through line 3-3 of Fig. 4, showing thetape centering device as applied to the holding means for the tape roll;

Fig. 4 is .a longitudinal, vertical section through line 4-4 of Fig. 1,looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through line 55 of Fig. 4, showing theadjusting means for the slitter knives;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through line 6-8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section through line of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a modified arrangement oftape delivery rollers in which one pair of rollers engages the edges ofadjacent tape strips.

In general the mechanism comprises the provision of one or morerelatively stationary cutting knives which are so placed that as a widestrip of tape is fed past these knives it will be slit longitudinally intwo or more narrow strips. The slitting means may be applied to machinesof various types and any suitable feeding means may be utilized. Themachine also preferably includes means for moistening the tape stripsand for severing them into strips of the desired length. The inventionis shown as applied to one particular type of tape feeding machine, butit is evident that it may be readily modified for embodiment in othertypes of machines.

The machine shown in Figs. 1-7 comprises supporting standards or sideframes Ill and lfla carrying a roll of gummed tape l2 mounted on pivotedarms l6. The roll |2 rests on supporting plate It which is mounted aboutthe supporting shaft I5. The weight of the roll of tape against thesupporting plate tends frictionally to prevent the roll from overrunningin its rotatingmovement during delivery of the tape. The tape strip I20.travels about the roller l8 and through the tape guide I9 and thetape-slitting mechanism there shown which will be hereinafter described.After passing the roller l8a, the tape strip travels between the topplate 23 and the bottom plate M in the channel 22 and between the feedrollers and 2| which are-actuated by the movement of the crank handle 32and deliver the tape in measured lengths, as will be later described.Having passed the rollers 20 and 2|, the tape passes through the cuttingoff and moistening apparatus and out of the machine.

The cutting off mechanism comprises a knife 25 which may be brought downthrough the tape by means of the tension link 26, which is operated bythe pin and slot connection 21, 28. The rock lever 29, pivoted at 30,.operates the pin and slot connection and thus the tension link 26. At 3|is shown an operating cam lug. Upon the forward feeding movement of thecrank 32 a pin ii projecting inwardly from a web 42 integral with thecrank 32 (Fig. 1) engages cam 3| on its upper side, whereupon the lever29 permits the pin to pass by an idle movement. On the return stroke thepin and thus actuates M engages cam 3|, the lever 28 to operate cutterasoarac This construction is simi- Patent N0. 2,021.31; to

26 and sever the tape. lar to that shown in Theodore H. Krueger.

In order to insure that the feed rollers 20 and 2| shall engage the tapeand deliver a length exactly measurable by the travel of the crank 32,it is desirable that one of the rollers or sets of rollers be of hardnon-resilient material such as metal, and the other be of relativelysoft resilient material such as rubber. It is not material, in order toinsure the accomplishments of the objects of this invention, that thehard or soft rollers be the upper or lower feeding rollers respectively.So long as one set is relatively hard and the other relatively soft, nodifilculty will be encountered. In the machine here shown, the upperfeeding rollers 2| are of hard material, and as shown in Fig. 1, engagethe tape strip at points not adjacent the edges of the strip. Theserollers are preferably of such diameter that the stroke of the crank 32will rotate the rollers against the tape sufficiently to deliver thedesired measured length of tape. Forward movement of the crank 32rotates the shaft 44 and the gear 46, which has a pawl and ratchetattachment at 4T, preventing the gear 46 from rotating on the returnstroke of crank 32. Rotation of the gear 46 rotates the shaft 48carrying the rollers 2| by means of gear 49, and thus rotates therollers 2| in a direction opposite to that of the movement of the crank32.

The lower rollers 20, which are in this case preferably made of or facedwith some relatively soft, resilient material such as rubber, aremounted on studs 5|, which are carried by arms 52 pivotally mounted onshaft 53, so that it is possible to move these rollers up towards therollers 2| or down away from them. When the rollers 20 are movedupwardly they press the tape against the rollers 2| and in the forwardmovement of the crank 32, the tape is drawn by the rotation of the upperrollers.

It is of particular importance in the construction of a machine whichsimultaneously slits, moistens and delivers gummed tape, that the feedelements (here shown at 20 and 2|) be so constructed that they willseparate after each feeding movement so as to completely release thetape. Were this not the case in this type of machine, buckling of thetape might occur, caused by minute differences in feed roll diameterswhich bear against the separate slit strips. After a number of stripshave been fed, one strip would tend to lie behind the others, and whenthis difference had accumulated the strips would buckle. The definiteseparation of the feeding elements after each stroke obviates thisdifficulty entirely. Any suitable construction for accomplishing thistemporary release of the tape by the feeding means may be employed.

In the illustrated construction the mechanism for effecting thisseparation or release comprises a cam 33 pivotally mounted on block 34which is clamped in the slot 83, of the plate 54, which, being integralwith the crank 32, rotates on the operation of the crank.

The arms 52 actuated by springs 56 attached to arms 55 rigid with thearms 52 normally hold the rollers 20 against the tape strips to bedelivered, and thus against the rollers 2|. In order to move the rollers20 out of engagement with the tape and the rollers 2|, it is necessaryto extend the springs 56.

As the crank 32 is operated the plate 54 move: the cam 33, and near theend of the stroke thi 59, thrusts the bar cam comes against the hingepin 51a of the toggle 51. The toggle 51 comprises a link 58 and a link59 pivotally connected at 51a. The toggle 51 is normally held in springtension against the edge of the plate 54 by the leaf spring 60 whichbears against arm 58. This spring has sufficient tension so that as thecam 33 meets the hinge pin 51a during the forward feeding stroke of thecrank 32 it is permitted to rotate and pass without disturbing thetoggle. On the return stroke of the crank 32, the cam 33 which canrotate idly in one direction only because of the stop6l, engages thehinge pin 51 and by depressing the link 18 against the arms 55, whichthereupon draw the rollers 29 momentarily out of engagement with thetape strips and the rollers 2|. When the cam has passed toggle 51 on thereturn stroke, the springs 56 draw the rollers 20 back into engagementwith the plate and the rollers 2|. By this mechanism, a momentarydisengagement of the two sets of rollers is effected, and during thismomentary disengagement,

minute irregularities in feeding are self-adjusted by the tape, so thatbuckling of individual strips of the tape cannot occur due to a pilingup of these differences after a succession of feeding strokes.

In order to insure-that the relatively narrow strips of tape deliveredfrom the machine are of equal width, adjusting means for aligning thetape with the slitting In Fig. 3 is best shown the construction of thesealigning means as applied to the tape roll itself. By operation of theknurled head 68 on the right and left screw 65, the tape roll may bemoved slightly in the machine until it is properly centered. Theoperation of the screw 65 moves the arms l6, which in turn adjust theposition of the studs 69 which carry the tape roll.

In Fig. 2 is shown a similar construction for adjusting the position ofthe tape just prior to slitting as it passes through the tape guide H!which is held in proper inclined position by resting upon the bar 35.The tape guide is mounted on the right and left screw 31 which isadjustable by means of knurled head 15. Thus, an adjustment of theknurled head 10 so that either side of the tape guide barely engages theedge of the tape will align the tape in proper position so that thestrips delivered from the machine will be of the desired uniform widthsince the tape cannot move laterally while traveling past the cutters.The location of this centering device, or its equivalent in position onthe dispensing machine just before the actual slitting device is one ofthe essential features of our invention.

Fig. 5 illustrates the actual slitter means which comprise blades whichare clamped into blade holders 12. The blade holders are mounted on therod 80 which also holds the tubes 13. The tubes 13 are of predeterminedlength and the blade holders may be inserted between them on the rod 80.As shown in Fig. 5, three tubes are used in order to clamp two bladeholders 12. This, of course, may be varied according to the number ofslitters to be used in the individual machine. By selecting tubes ofproper length the desired spacing of the knives may be secured and thusthe width of the tape strips determined. The clamping of the blades 40in position for slitting is accomplished by operation of the knurledhead 14 which causes the blade holders rigid. The blade 40 may take anyconvenient form and is here shown as a conventional safety razor bladehaving a hole in itsthe rod 80 is inserted.-

center 8| through which knives ar preferably provided.

tubes 13 to hold the v The blade extends slightly down through the tapestrip at 15 (see Fig. 4) and slits the tape as it is fed past this pointjust after it passes the tape centering means at It! (see Fig. 2) andjust before reaching the roller l8a.

The mechanism described for the slitting oper ation can obviously beapplied to any form of tape delivering machine, mechanism for aligningthe tape in the delivery mechanism of the general type shown in Figs. 2and 3 being preferably employed.

Fig. 8 shows diagrammatically a modified form of tape deliveringvmechanism in which a single pair of rollers delivers two strips by meansof engagement with both strips adjacent the edges after the tape hasalready passed the knife and been slit.

In the type of machine described, the tape comes from th machine inmoistened condition ready for use and as the moistened tape strips issueclose together from the delivery end of the machine, there is dangerthat they may come in contact with and adhere to each other. Thiscondition is particularly obvious in working rooms where drafts of airare liable to come against the machine and blow the tapes so that theywill overlap each other. To obviate this condition, we have provided atthe issuing end of the machine a fanning out device 38, which may be inany convenient shape, depending on the number of tape strips issuingfrom the machine, and as here shown in Fig. 1, is a curved plate-likeelement which is particularly suited to separate three strips as theycome from the machine. As the moistened tape strips reach this element,the center tape 36a tends to travel straight forward and down, and thetwo side tapes 36b and 360 tend to travel forward and downand to eachside of the center tape, thus separating the strips and preventing themoistened tapes from overlapping each other and sticking together. Thisfanning out plate in a two-strip machine might take triangular form, themoistening strips being divided so that they travel on either arm of thetriangle. Other forms in other types of machines are obviously possible.

While we have illustrated and described in detail certain preferredforms of our invention, it is to be understood that changes may be madetherein and the invention embodied in other structures. We do not,therefore, desire to limit ourselves to the specific constructionillustrated, but intend to cover our invention broadly in whatever formits principle may be utilized.

I We claim:

1. In a machine for dispensing adhesive tape, means for slitting arelatively wide tape strip into a plurality of narrower strips, rollersfor feeding the tape, the tape supply relative to the positions of thetape feeding rollers, and laterally adjustable guide shoes at each sideof the tape path at the point of slitting for adjustably centering thetape with reference to the slitting means.

2. In a machine for dispensing adhesive tape, means for slitting arelatively wide tape strip into a plurality of narrower tape strips,feeding means for drawing the narrower strips through the machinecomprising sets of cooperating feed rollers, and means forsimultaneously separating the cooperating rollers of all the sets so asto release their gripping engagement with the tape strips at a time whentape is not being fed from the machine. I

3. In a machine for dispensing adhesive tape,

means for adjustably centering means for slitting a relatively wide tapestrip into a plurality of narrow strips, rollers for feeding the tape,means for adiustably centering the tape strip before slitting, means forcutting and moistening the tape, and means at the delivery end of themachine to prevent the tape strips issuing therefrom from adhering toeach other comprising a dividing plate which directs the angle of travelof each issuing strip of tape obliquely from the other issuing strip orstrips of tape.

4. In a machine for dispensing adhesive tape, means for delivering aplurality of relatively narrow tape strips from a single wide tape stripcomprising tape slitting means, means to center the supply of tape andthe tape strip, tape feeding means adapted to be disengaged from thetape between each feeding stroke, means to cut and moisten the strips,means to hold some of the strips of tape in position to be used and outof contact with each other when a strip is being applied to a package.

5. In a machine for dispensing adhesive tape for packages, means to holda supply of tape, means to feed a measured length of such tape throughthe machine, means for slitting the tape into a plurality of narrowerstrips, means for cutting off and moistening the strips and means tohold the moistened strips suspended by their moistened rear ends inposition to be used.

6. In a machine for dispensing adhesive tape, means to hold a supply oftape, cooperating feed rollers between which the tape passes and aslitter operating to divide said tape as it is fed by said rollers intoa plurality of narrower strips, said rollers being in non-cooperativeposition when in non-operative condition, means to transversely severand moisten the tape, and means to hold the moistened slit and severedtape out of contact with each other in position to be used.

7. In a machine for dispensing adhesive tape for packages, means to holda supply of tape, a slitter operating to slit said tape into a pluralityof narrower strips, a plurality of feeding devices engaging said stripsat laterally spaced points. means for cutting off said strips and meansfor moistening said strips.

8. In a machine for delivering adhesive tape. means to hold a supply oftape, means to simultaneously deliver a plurality of strips of tape,means to sever and moisten said strips and means to separately andremovably hold the severed and moistened strips of tape out of contactwith each other on the machine, whereby the individual strips of a groupof moistened strips may be successively withdrawn from the machine foruse.

9. In a machine for dispensing adhesive tape, a supply of tape, tapeslitting means operating to slit said tape into a plurality of narrowerstrips, tape feeding means for drawing tape from said supply, past saidslitting means and thrusting the strips forward, moistening means pastwhich the strips are thrust including a moistener which contacts saidstrips, severing means between said slitting means and said moisteningmeans, means including said moistening means to separately and removablyhold the severed and moistened strips of tape out of contact with eachother on the machine.

10. In a machine for dispensing gummed tape, means for holding a supplyof such tape, means for feeding the tape through the machine, means forslitting the tape into a plurality of narrow strips, means for cuttingoff the strips, and a moistening couple at the delivering end of themachine for moistening the strips and temporarily holding them inposition for separate removal and means to prevent the moistened gummedstrips issuing from the moistening couple from adhering to each other,said means comprising a dividing plate which directs the angle of travelof each issuing strip of tape obliquely from the other issuing strip orstrips of tape.

THEODORE H, KRUEGER. ALFRED P. KRUEGER. CHAS. H. BRAND.

